Surgical operating cushion



Deg. 31, 1929. L. L. .GI LBERT SURGICAL OPERATING CUSHION 2 Sheets-Sheet1 Original Filed March 2. 1927 Dec. 31, 1929. L. "GlLBERT SURGICALOPERATING CUSHION Original Filed March 2, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 PatentedDec. 31, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFKCE LEVI. L. GILBERT, OF MUSKEGON,MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOB T0 Til-IE ELI-DEE SUPPLY COM- PANY, A CORPORATION OFNEVADA SURGICAL OPERATING CUSHION Application filed March 2, 1927,Serial No. 171,922. Renewed October 2, 1929.

This invention relates to a surgical operating cushion for use on a bedor table in performing vaginal examinations, operations and for use inobstetrical cases.

Heretofore many forms of invalid mattresses, obstetrical tables and thelike have been proposed, many for hospital use and a few intended forportable use to be taken'to the patients home, the latter being awkward10 to handle and inconvenient to use because limited to one position forthe patient. Itis accordingly anobjectof this invention to provide animproved pneumatic surgical cushion that can be positioned on the sideof an ordinary bed and to provide means for draining fluids therefromand at the same time prevent fluids from accidental escape from thecushion.

. The cushion of this invention is made from two similarly shaped rubbersheets vulcanized or otherwise secured together along the side edges andalso inwardly of the edges in a plurality of incomplete annuli. Theannuli define rings when the cushion is inflated and theinner ringdefines a central well, which well extends to one edge of the cushion.The ends of the rings so formed by the annuli terminate each side of thewell so as to allow drainage to the cushion edge from the groovesbetween the rings so formed. The cushion is infiatableby means of asingle valve, inflation taking place in the rings and also between theoutermost annulus and theedge of the cushion, thereby providing, wheninflated, an air cushion with a plurality of supporting surfaces withdrainage spaces between the same communicating with the well so thatfluid, no matter where it falls on the cushion, will drain to the welland thence to a waste receptacle near the edge of the cush- The annuliare so arranged as to form rings of varying sizes in order that thecushion may be comfortable in any position which a patient assumes onthe table and also for providing a plurality of rings whereby move-jment of the patient on the cushion may be accomplished withoutdiscomfort of any character.

flated, has substantially the same cross-sectional shape as the topexcept that the well rests substantially flatwise on the cushionsupport, whatever it may be.

The two sheets may, if desired, be of different materials, such, forinstance, as rubber and canvas, which are fastened together inthe mannerdescribed.

When the cushion is deflated, the whole may be readily cleaned andsterilized, as there are no folds, creases, corners or other placeslikely to retain foreign matter.

The rings at one end communicate with one another and also with thespace between the outermost annulus and the edge of the cushion so as toallow ready inflation and deflation by means of a single valve. 1

When deflated, the cushion is nothing more or less than two flat piecesof rubber in superposed relation. The fastening together of these twosheets being such as to maintain the thicknessof the cushion whendeflated at a minimum and also to allow ready cleansing and rolling orfolding of the cushion in deflated condition.

Other and further important objects of this invention will be apparentfrom the disclosures in the specification and the accompanying drawings.

This invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings andhereinafter more fully described.

On the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a bed having a cushion embodying the featuresof this invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the cushion alone.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary front elevation of a cushionshowing thedrainage apron.

Figure 4 is a section on the line IV-IV of Figure 2.

I Figure 5 is a section on the line V-V of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a section on the line VI-VI of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary enlarged section on the line VII-VII of Figure2.

As shown on the drawings:

An ordinary bed frame 10 and a mattress 11 are indicated in Figure 1,the surgical cushion of this invention is laid thereon, either by itselfor tied at its corners to a stretching frame 12 which helps to preventshifting of the cushion during movements of the patient.

The cushion proper comprises a substantially rectangular pneumaticmat-tress 13 divided by circular inner rings 14: and 15 into threecompartments with a connecting air passage 16 to permit inflation-0f allthe compartments through a single valve 17. The inner ring 15 definesthe boundary of a central well 18 formed of the material of the cushion,this well extending to one edge of thecushion' through each compartment,as indicated at 19, so that each ring is a broken annulus.

When the cushion is-defiated, it is simply a trapezoidal double sheetwithout extra material to form the deep well shown, as I have foundthatit is a peculiar property of the broken annulus or rings to tend toclose up at the gap when inflated, thus automatically providing theextra material to form the depending well 18 as shownin Figure 6,: andthis shrinkage" forms overlapping or re-entrant edges 20 abovetheportion 19 of the well as shown in Figure 5, that tend to hold thedesired shape ofthe well. The original trapezoidal form of the sheets ischosen to produce a rectangular cushionwhen inflated.

An apron 21of rubberized sheet material like the cushion proper iscemented to the mouth of the well to hang down over the side of the bed,the free corners of the apron being provided with snap fasteners 22 toenable the apron to be formed into a funnel, as shown in Figure 3, toform a continuation of the overlapping or re-entrantedges 20 of the wellat the edge of the cushion, the funnel directingfluids into a receptacle24 positioned below the bed.

In using the cushion for an obstetrical case,

the cushion is placed on the bed asshown in Figure 1, and thepatientpositioned thereon in any desired way such as the lithotomy orSims position, suitable padding being applied beneath the patient eitherat the side or end of the pneumatic cushion as the case requires. Thechannels between the rings act as drainage passages opening into thewell 18 and 19 and prevent liquid from overflowing onto the bed,- thusmaintaining sanitary conditions. The ringsin the cushion also facilitatero tating the patient thereon from one position to another withoutdisplacing the cushion and without discomfortto the patient.

It will thus be seen that I have produced a simple and inexpensivecushion that can be readi y cleaned and sterilized and collapsed to arelatively small compass for transportation to and from the patientshome. Alarge pneumatic surface contributing to the comfort of thepatient and in the preferred form a plurality of rings or dams securingcomplete protection against overflow.

I am aware that many changes may be made, and numerous details ofconstruction may be varied through a wide range without departing fromthe principles of this invention, and I therefore do not purposelimiting the patent granted hereon, otherwise than necessitated by theprior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. An inflatable operating cushion consisting of two sheets, which, whenthe cushion is deflated lie in contact with each other over their wholearea, said cushion having a plurality of broken annuli formed therein todefine concentric air chambers of varying diameter and depth, and alsodefining fluid conducting channels, and a central well into which thechannels open when the cushion is inflated, the said concentric airchambers cooperating when inflated to form a seat or support tofacilitate the rotating of a person seated thereon from one position toanother without displacing the cushion.

2.- A pneumatic surgical cushion including a plurality of incompletecircular air chambers defining a central well, said well extending toone edge of the cushion, said cushion being so arranged that wheninflated each side will be of similar shape.

3. A pneumatic cushion comprising two sheets of material fastenedtogether along the edges and also fastened together inwardly of theedges in a plurality of variably spaced incomplete annuli, the portionsbetween the fastened part being inflatable and forming a plurality ofincomplete concentric rings, the'innermostring and the ends of the otherrings defining a-central well which extends to a side of the cushion,the sheets being so fastened together that when inflated the inflatedportions will extend symmetrically above and below the fastenings.

4. A pneumatic air cushion formed of two superposed sheets secured alongthe edges and at intervals inwardly of the edges in a plurality ofincomplete annuli providing communicating-air spaces between the partssooured together, the innermost annulus defining. a central well whichextends to one edge of the cushion, an air. valve communicating with oneof the air spaces so formed, the cushionwhen inflated being of similarshape and arrangement on the top side and the bottom side.

5. A pneumatic air cushion formed of two superposed sheets secured alongthe edges and atintervals inwardly of the edges in a plurality ofincomplete annuli providing communicating air spaces between the partssocuredtogether, the innermost annulus defining-a central well whichextends to one edge of the cushion, an air valve communicating with oneof the air spaces so formed, the cushion when inflated beingof similarshape and arrangement on the top side and the bottom side formingdrainage canals con1- municating with the central well.

6. An inflatable operating cushion consisting of two sheets Which, whenthe cushion is deflated, lie in contact With each other over the wholearea theerof; said cushion having a plurality of broken annuli formedtherein to define concentric air chambers and also defining. fluidconducting channels; and a central well into which the channels openwhen the cushion is inflated.

7 An inflatable operating cushion consisting of two sheets which, whenthe cushion is deflated, lie in contact with each other; said cushionhaving a plurality of broken annuli formed therein to define incompleteair chainhers and a central Well and also defining fluid conductingchannels; said cushion being so arranged that when inflated each sidewill be of similar shape.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name at Portland,Multnomah County, Oregon.

LEVI L. GILBERT.

